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DOCUMENTS. 

I. 



The Journal of General Daniel Smith, one of the Commis- 
sioners to Extend the Boundary Line between the Com- 
monwealths of Virginia and North Carolina, August, 
1779, to July, 1780. 



INTRODUCTION. 



To place in a proper historical setting the interesting 
document which is now printed, we believe for the first time, 
it is necessary to recall some of the more important events 
which marked the period covered by General Smith's Jour- 
nal. Turning first to the general progress of the American 
Revolution one notes that in 1778, the British, having failed 
to crush the rebellion of the Americans in the eastern and 
central theatres of the War, directed their attack anew 
upon the southern region. General Robert Howe, having 
lost Savannah to a British force under Colonel Campbell, was 
succeeded in command by General Benjamin Lincoln, who 
was likewise doomed to misfortune. Invested at Char- 
leston, South Carolina, by Clinton, Lincoln surrendered with 
his whole army May 12, 1780. On August 16 his successor, 
Horatio Gates, was disastrously routed at the battle of 
Camden. To add to the danger which threatened the Amer- 
ican cause, the treasonable designs of Benedict Arnold were 
maturing, though it was not until September, 1780, that 
the plot was discovered. Throughout this period the south- 
ern states were torn by what was really a civil war, in 
which the partisan bands of either side added to the mis- 
fortunes of the people the horrors of an irregular warfare. 

Meanwhile the westward movement was continuing un- 
abated. Taking first the viewpoint of Virginia, we remind 
the reader of the expedition sent out by that commonwealth 
to the Illinois country, which, under the command of George 
Rogers Clark, captured Kaskaskia, and, on February 24, 
1779, brought about the surrender of the British post under 
Hamilton at Vincennes. The summer of 1779 found Clark 
forced to give up his plan of attacking Detroit "for want of 



42 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

a few men." 1 Instead, he made the Falls of the Ohio (later 
Louisville) his base, to which, as to other points in Ken- 
tucky, great numbers of immigrants were pouring out from 
Virginia. This immigration was stimulated through the 
opening by Virginia of a land office in the western country, 
for which provision was made in May, and which began 
operations in October. On January 29, 1780, the governor 
of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, sent to Clark instructions 
authorizing him either to attack the Shawn ees, to proceed 
against Detroit, or to build a fort at the mouth of the Ohio. 2 
The last alternative was chosen by Clark, and to Clark's 
execution of it reference is made by General Smith in the 
Journal. 3 The purpose of this fort upon the Mississippi, 
as explained by Jefferson, was that this "with other posts 
meant to be established upon the Ohio may form a chain 
of defense for our western frontier and at the same time 
protect our trade with New Orleans. "* 

In the summer of 1777 commissioners of North Caro- 
lina and of Virginia made with the northern group of 
Cherokees the Treaty of Holston, commonly known as 
Avery's Treaty. This was after the Indian war of 1776- 
1777, upon the frontiers of southwest Virginia and North 
Carolina. In November of this year North Carolina changed 
Washington District into Washington County, at the same 
time enlarging it to include all her western territory. In 
North Carolina, as in Virginia, a new wave of migration 
developed. In the spring of 1779 James Robertson and his 
companions departed from the Watauga region to make 
their settlement on the Cumberland, where, through the 
winter 1780, at the very time covered by General Smith's 
Journal, they were waiting for the arrival of their families. 
December 22, 1779, the company under John Donelson be- 
gan their voyage on the Holston, and leaving Cloud's Creek 
on February 27, on April 24 reached the Big Salt Lick on 
the Cumberland River. 

Meanwhile Virginia and North Carolina had agreed to 
extend westward the boundary line between the two states. 
Of the various stages in the determination of this famous 
line of demarcation, from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, 
an interesting account is contained in a scholarly paper by 
W. R. Garrett, entitled, "Northern Boundary of Tennessee," 
which was read before the Tennessee Historical Society 
March 18, 1884, and was printed in the American Historical 

i. James, J. A. (ed.), George Rogers Clark Papers, Illinois Historical Collec- 
tions, Vol. 8, pp. cix-cx. 

2. Ibid., pp. 386 ff, from Draper Mss. 

3. Below, p. 64. 

4. Jefferson to Joseph Martin, Jan. 24, 1780, Clark Papers, p. 385. 

(L > 

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THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 43 

Magazine^ The earlier history of the line we may sum- 
marize in a few words. 

By the second charter of Carolina, Charles II fixed as 
the northern boundary of that province the line of latitude 
36° 30'. In 1710 the first effort was made to mark the line, 
but the commissioners failed to agree on the starting point. 
The second attempt in 1728 was more successful; the line 
was begun at the coast and carried about 169 miles west- 
ward to Buzzard Creek. Here the North Carolina Com- 
missioners abandoned their work, but the line was carried 
some 72 miles farther by the Virginia Commissioners, one 
of whom, Colonel William Byrd, of Westover, has left in 
his "History of the Dividing Line," the most charming 
piece of literature produced in the colonies in his day. The 
point reached by Byrd was known as Peter's Creek, "within 
the shadow of Chariky (Cherokee) Mountains." 

The next extension of the line was undertaken in 1749 
under the supervision of Joshua Fry, professor of mathe- 
matics in William and Mary College, and Peter Jefferson, 
on the part of Virginia, and Daniel Weldon and William 
Churton on the part of North Carolina. Without disagree- 
ment the line was extended from Peter's Creek 88 miles 
to a point on Steep Rock Creek, in all 329 miles from the 
coast. 

Of the next effort to continue westward the boundary 
line between the two provinces Garrett makes no mention. 
In 1771, after the negotiation of the Treaty of Lochaber, 
a line marking the eastern boundary of the Cherokee coun- 
try had been run by Colonel John Donelson. 6 In the early 
map, of which mention is made hereafter, Daniel Smith 
makes an attempt to trace this line. Either then or later, 
but at some time before March, 1775, Colonel Donelson, 
acting on the authority of Virginia, also extended some- 
what the line between North Carolina and Virginia. This 
is attested by a proclamation of Lord Dunmore, in which 
he warned all persons to endeavor to prevent the evil de- 
signs of Richard Henderson. 8 Upon this information of 
Dunmore's the governor of North Carolina caustically re- 
marked that the survey was "an ex parte proceeding not 
authorized by His Majesty's Royal instructions to the gov- 

5. Vol. 6 (January, 1901), pp. 18-39. 

6. Thwaites, R. G., and Kellogg, L. P., Documentary History of Dunmore's 
War (1905), pp. 5, note, 122, 239; Haywood, John, The Civil and Political History of 
Tennessee (Reprint of 1891), pp. 504, 516. This edition of Haywood is cited through- 
out. 

7. Dunmore's War, map facing p. 30. 

8. Colonial Records of North Carolina, Vol. 9, p. 1169. A photographic repro- 
duction of a printed broadside of this proclamation is published by Archibald Hen- 
derson in Neale's Monthly, Vol. 1 (January, 1913), p. 74. 



44 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

ernors of the two provinces." 9 As will be seen from Daniel 
Smith's Journal, he was well aware of this line and began 
his official work with an effort to locate it. 10 Haywood, it 
may be noted, refers to a line run experimentally in 1771 
by Anthony Bledsoe, as far west as Beaver Creek, by 
which the settlers of northeast Tennessee discovered that 
they would fall into the state of North Carolina upon the 
extension of the boundary line. 11 Of this survey of Bledsoe 
we have thus far found no contemporary evidence. 

In 1777, as a result of the purchases of land made from 
the Indians at the Treaty of Holston, to which we have re- 
ferred above, it became manifest to the commissioners of 
the two states that it would be desirable to extend still 
farther westward the boundary line between Virginia and 
North Carolina. 12 Consequently in October, 1778, the As- 
sembly of Virginia and, a little later, the Assembly of North 
Carolina, passed acts very similar in their provisions to 
extend and mark the boundary. 13 The Virginia Act pro- 
vided that two commissioners should be elected on joint 
ballot by the Assembly, and Dr. Thomas Walker and James 
Madison were chosen. Madison later declined, and Daniel 
Smith was appointed in his stead. By the North Carolina 
Act five commissioners were named for that state, as fol- 
lows: Orandatus Davis, John Williams, Caswell James 
Kerr, William Bailey Smith, and Richard Henderson, any 
three of whom might serve. By both laws the commission- 
ers were authorized to employ surveyors and assistants, and 
were provided with an armed guard for their protection. 
Over the guard and the details of the equipment there was 

9. Colonial Records of North Carolina, Vol. 9, pp. 1243- 1244. Probably a part 
of this line is referred to in the "Path Deed" of Henderson's "Purchase," Hay- 
wood, p. 30. 

10. Below, p. 48. 

11. Haywood, p. 54. 

12. State Records of North Carolina (hereafter cited as S. R. N. C), Vol. 11, 
pp. 566-568. In his History of Southwest Virginia (1903), Summers gives two 
specific causes for the extension of the boundary line which differ somewhat both 
from each other and from the statement of the Commissioners who made the Treaty 
of Holston. From the records of Washington County Court in Virginia, Summers 
(p. 299) has taken an order of the court, for the arrest of William Cocke, lately a 
representative of Washington County in the Virginia Assembly, on the ground that, 
in Carter's Valley, on September 30, 1779, Cocke had refused to pay taxes to a 
Virginia deputy sheriff because he was in Carolina and not in Virginia. It was as 
a result of this, says Summers, that the Virginia and North Carolina Assemblies in 
1779 provided for the extension of the line. This is a sample of careless writing: 
for elsewhere (p. 698) Summers recognizes that the Commissioners to extend the boun- 
dary line had been appointed and had begun their work before the date of the Cocke 
episode. Summers (pp. 695-696) gives another reason for the extension. In 1777 there 
was a disputed election between Anthony Bledsoe and William Cocke on the one 
hand and Arthur Campbell and William Edmiston on the other. The latter, the 
contestants, urged that the former, who had received a majority of the votes, had 
been elected by the citizens of North Carolina. Bledsoe, says Summers, introduced 
the boundary bill in the Virginia Assembly. 

13. For the Virginia act, see Hening, W. W. (ed.), The Statutes at Large, 
Vol. 9 (1821), pp. 561-565. For the act of North Carolina, see S. R. N. C, Vol. 24, 
pp. 300-302. 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 45 

considerable correspondence between Richard Henderson 
and Governor Caswell of North Carolina. 14 

Of the North Carolina commissioners who actually 
served, — John Williams, William Bailey Smith, and Richard 
Henderson, — the last named is, of course, the most cele- 
brated. Through his connection with the Transylvania 
Company and its famous Purchase of 1775, he was identified 
with the beginnings of Kentucky and Tennessee. As will 
appear below, his name appears frequently in the Journal 
of Daniel Smith. Dr. Thomas Walker, the senior commis- 
sioner of Virginia, was a veteran in the affairs of the west. 
At this time sixty-four years of age, he had for thirty or 
more years been interested in western lands. He was of 
a highly scientific turn of mind. His journal of his ex- 
ploiting tour in 1748 is one of the earliest narratives of 
western Virginia and Kentucky; and he it was who be- 
stowed many of the place-names now so familiar to us. He 
had served in the French and Indian War, and had been the 
representative of Virginia in the negotiations which led to 
the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768. During the Revolution- 
ary period he was a member of the Virginia Committee of 
Safety and one of the Council of that State. 15 

After the commissioners of the two states had deter- 
mined a beginning point and had made some progress west- 
ward, there developed a lack of agreement between the 
commissioners of Virginia and those of North Carolina with 
reference to the observations upon which the running of the 
line must depend. As a result, "the two commissions sepa- 
rated, running parallel lines about two miles apart, the line 
of the Carolina commissioners, generally known as Hen- 
derson's Line, being north of the line of the Virginia com- 
missioners, commonly called Walker's Line. The Carolina 
commissioners continued their line as far as Cumberland 
Mountain. At this point they abandoned the work, after 
sending a letter of protest against Walker's Line. The 
Virginia commissioners continued to Tennessee River, leav- 
ing an unsurveyed gap from Deer Fork 1G to the first or 
east crossing of Cumberland River, a distance which they 
estimated to be 109 miles." 17 To this concise summary of 
events Garrett adds an interesting discussion of the length, 
variation, and topography of the two lines, to which the 

14. 5". R. N. C, Vol. 14, passim. See Index, Vol. 30, s. v. Virginia and North 
Carolina Boundary and Boundary Dispute. 

15. Summers, L. P., History of Southwest Virginia, passim. Dunmore's War, 
p. 242, note. Johnston (ed.), First Explorations of Kentucky, Filson Club Publi- 
cations (1898). 

16. This should be Clear Fork. Garrett follows Haywood in the error. 

17. Hening, Statutes, Vol. 9 (1821), pp. 562-565, note. The Virginia report is 
reprinted in Haywood, pp. 487-489, and in Summers, pp. 699-702. 



46 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

inquiring reader is referred. His article traces also the 
later history of the dispute between North Carolina and 
Virginia, of that between Tennessee and Virginia, and of 
that between Tennessee and Kentucky, all of which had 
to do with the line surveyed by Tnomas Walker and Daniel 
Smith. 

Garrett's account of the dispute between the respective 
commissioners is based on the report made by Walker and 
Smith to the House of Delegates of Virginia, which is 
printed in Hening's Statutes. This report when compared 
with Daniel Smith's Journal is found to derive much from 
the latter, though as a document to be presented to a legisla- 
tive body, it is, of course, much more elaborately phrased. 
But Henderson and his fellow commissioners also made a 
report to the Governor of North Carolina, which, within 
the last few years, has been printed in the State Records of 
North Carolina. 19 As this North Carolina report does not 
appear to have been used by Garrett, or by any other writer 
on the subject, and as it is briefer than the Virginia report, 
it will be reprinted as an extended note to the Journal. 20 
The statement of the North Carolina commissioners differs 
widely, both in tone and in substance, from that of the Vir- 
ginians. Remembering Henderson's personal interest in 
western lands, and observing the support given to the 
Virginia report by the contemporary private Journal of 
Daniel Smith, one is inclined to accept the report of Walker 
and Smith as the more trustworthy statement of the facts. 

Daniel Smith, the writer of the Journal, was born in 
Stafford County, Virginia, October 24, 1748, was educated 
at William and Mary College, and, like Washington, became 
a surveyor. He soon identified himself with the western 
settlements of Virginia, and in 1773 was appointed deputy 
surveyor of Augusta County. The outbreak of Lord Dun- 
more's War found him, together with Colonel William Pres- 
ton, actively engaged in the preparation for the defense 
of the frontier. In 1774 he prepared a map of the head- 
waters of the tributaries of the Tennessee River, or, as 
it was then called, the Holston, which is of great service in 
locating the creeks and rivers of the border land between 
southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee. 21 

19. S. R. N. C, Vol. 14, pp. 333-355- 

20. Below, p. 48. 

21. A reproduction of this map is in Dunmore's War facing p. 30. In this 
volume, also, are reprinted many letters of Daniel Smith written in 1774- Daniel 
Smith for many years continued to make surveys and to plot maps. The "Map of 
the Tennessee Government," in Imlay, G. Topographical Description of the Western 
Territory of North America, bearing date of 1795, has the legend "taken chiefly from 
surveys by Genel. D. Smith & Others." 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 47 

Passing over the period immediately covered by the 
Journal we may remind the reader of the distinguished 
services of Daniel Smith in after years. In 1780 his fellow 
commissioner, Doctor Walker, heartily recommended him 
to the governor of Virginia for appointment, instead of 
Walker himself, as commissioner to settle and liquidate 
claims in the west. 22 Within a few years Daniel Smith 
removed to the Cumberland region, with which he was 
thenceforth definitely associated. In 1788 he was appointed 
Brigadier-General of Mero District, and after filling several 
offices or positions of trust, in 1790 he received the im- 
portant appointment of Secretary of the Territory South 
of the Ohio. Much of his correspondence of this period, 
with Governor Blount, and with the Secretary of War and 
the Secretary of State, has been preserved. In 1794 he built 
"Rock Castle," a notable dwelling, which still exists in the 
possession of his descendants. In 1796 he served as a mem- 
ber of the constitutional convention of Tennessee. In 1798 
and again in 1805 he was a Senator of the United States 
from Tennessee. He died in 1818. A few years prior to 
his death the French traveler, Michaux, visited Rock Castle 
and left an interesting account of the venerable pioneer 
as he was in his comfortable old age. 23 

From the standpoint of subject matter, the Journal is 
valuable, first, for the light it throws upon the topography 
of the Tennessee-Cumberland region in 1779-1780. In the 
notes, the editor has made no effort to identify all the places 
mentioned, but has been content to select those of most 
importance for the understanding of the route and for the 
chronology of the commissioners' journey. The student of 
local history, however, will be interested in the further iden- 
tification of the places named by Daniel Smith. 

In Smith's Journal and in the report of Walker and 
Smith to the Virginia Assembly references are made to a 
map drawn to show the boundary line and the river courses 
as explored and surveyed by the Commissioners. In the 
Draper Mss. what is evidently a portion of a draft or copy 
of this map has been preserved, and it has been attempted 
to reproduce this by photostat process to accompany the 
Journal. Unfortunately it has not proved possible to re- 
produce the lettering with distinctness ; and only a portion 
of the line, — from Blackwater Creek to the "Barrens", — is 

22. Palmer, Wm. P., ed., Calendar of Virginia State Papers, Vol. 2, pp. 298-299. 

23. Cf. Thwaites' Early Western Travels, Vol. 3, pp. 255-256; Dunmore's War, 
passim, and especially pp. 3-4, note. In the American Historical Magazine, Vol. 6, 
(1901), pp. 213 ff, will be found some interesting Papers of Gen. Daniel Smith 
preceded by a biographical sketch from which have been taken some of the facts 
given above. 



48 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

shown. This, however, is an important part, as it shows 
something of both the first and second sections of the line 
surveyed. 

Furthermore the Journal gives a vivid picture of the 
hardships that confronted the pioneer surveyors of the 
"western waters." Cold, hunger, Indians, — all these were 
added to the natural difficulties of the wilderness. From a 
political standpoint the latter part of the Journal puts the 
reader in touch with the statesmanship of Virginia in the 
reaching out of that state for control of the Mississippi 
Valley. Finally, as has been indicated above, the work of 
Smith, together with his colleague Walker, was one of last- 
ing importance in the determination of the territorial limits 
of four of the American commonwealths. 

The original manuscripts of Daniel Smith's Journal and 
Map are among the Draper Manuscripts in the possession 
of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, which has 
kindly consented to the printing of the Journal and to the 
reproduction of the Map by the TENNESSEE HISTORICAL 
Magazine. The manuscript of the Journal is numbered 46 
J 18. The following description is given by Miss Nunns, 
Assistant Superintendent of the State Historical Society of 
Wisconsin, to whom we are indebted for the careful colla- 
tion of our press copy with the original : "The document 
consists of nineteen (19) very closely written pages 6Vsx 
7%. The writing is in ink, a good hand, and aside from the 
first page the edges of the leaves are not greatly worn. 
Doctor Draper had put this diary in board covers, giving it 
title, and the manuscript itself does not give name of author. 
Doctor Draper added a five-page table of contents." 24 

The map is no. 7ZZ51 of the Draper Mss. The size is 
8.25x28 inches. Miss Nunns informs us that the map does 
not bear the name of General Daniel Smith, but that the 
handwriting of the lettering on the map and that of the 
Journal is apparently the same. On the reverse is the en- 
dorsement, "Plan of the Line betw [torn] Virginia & North 
Carolina [torn] with Cumberland River [torn]. 

Finally, for the possibility of thus publishing the Journal 
of Daniel Smith, we wish on behalf of the Tennessee His- 
torical Society and the Magazine to express our obligation 
to Miss Sarah Crosby Berry, of Hazel Path, Henderson- 
ville, Tennessee, a descendant of General Smith, who has 
kindly put at our disposal her transcript of the Journal 
made for her own use, and has in other ways facilitated the 

present publication. ~ T ~ 

St. George L. Sioussat. 

24. Letter to the editor, Madison, Wis., March, 191 5. 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 49 



Journal of General Daniel Smith, Aug. 1779, to July, 1780, 
Running Line Betiveen North Carolina and Virginia — 
Tennessee and Kentucky. 25 

Saturday Augt. 14th 1779. Having for a few days been making ready 
to go out with the Commissioners of the Line between this [state] and 
North Carolina as a Surveyor of the same according to my former agree- 
ment with Dor. Walker, this day I sat off and reach'd the Elk-Garden. 2 ' 

Sunday 15th. > Got to Capt. Dysarts where I met with Dor. Walker 
who acquainted me that I was appointed a Commissioner in the Room 
of Mr. Jas. Madison. 27 

Monday 16th. got my Ball & Socket mended at Andw. Kinkennon's. 

Tuesday 17th. went to Court, and lodged at Mr. Willoughby's. 

Wednesday 18th. Went to John Keys's on the Laurel Fork, 28 being 
the nearest house to our place of beginning that we knew of. 

Thursday 19th. Rain last night, and to day— rais'd the River so that 
we could not travel till M. 

Monday 23rd. moved to a Camp on Col. Donelson's Line 28 about 7 
miles west of the white topp'd mountain. 30 

Tuesday 24th. Having from some accounts of late together with 
Col. Fry's and Jefferson's map of the line, got an opinion that Col. 
Donelson did not begin where Fry & Jefferson left off to day I went 
towards Donelson's beginning to endeavor to trace up the old line taking 
with me Jas. Michie one of the Surveyors. When I got within about a 
mile of the same found the old line and began to trace it up. lay in the 
Mountain which divides New River waters from Holston. 

Wednesday 25th. got back to camp. 

Thursday 26th. this morning the distance Col. Donelson's line was 
south of the old one was measured along a line making a right angle 
with the old one— 52 poles. The course « of the old line by Compass 
not allowing for Variation was N 88° 30' W. the distance was measured 
along a course S i° 30' W. This day we moved to Tooley's river and 
encamp'd just above the little flag meadow, south of the line about a mile. 

Friday 27th. moved to a Waste Cabin on Steep Rock Cr. 31 about 

23. Title affixed to the Ms. by Dr. Lyman C. Draper. The original document 
is characterized by a frequent use of superior letters, especially in the abbreviations. 
In the printed text these superior letters have been made uniform with the rest. 

26. In 1774 Daniel Smith was living upon Indian Creek, an affluent of Maiden 
Spring fork of Clinch River. Dunmore's War, page 30, note, and map. The Journal 
does not state from which point Smith started in 1779, but the reference to the Elk 
Garden, which appears on Smith's map of 1774 only a few miles from Indian Creek, 
makes it very probable that his residence was the same is in 1774. The Elk Garden 
was a fort on Cedar Creek which flows into the Clinch. 

27. Probably the James Madison who was later bishop. He was a cousin of 
the statesman and president. 

28. A branch of the south fork of the Holston. 

29. Above, p. 42. 

30. At the southeast of the present Washington County, Va., Haywood, p. 54, 
says: "Early in 1772 the Colony of Virginia held a treaty with the Cherokees, and 
agreed upon a boundary between them to run west from the White Top Mountain in 
latitude 36 degrees 30 minutes." For this treaty we have found no contemporary 
evidence. 

31. The creek to which Fry and Jefferson had carried the line. 



50 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

three quarters of a mile North of the place where the line would strike 
out. 

Saturday 28th. This morning Mr. Michie came to camp with out 
ever having seen the line since he parted from us yesterday altho' he 
had carefully continued the same course. 

Sunday 29th. a Number of us went and searched about the creek 
near the place Mr. Michie struck it for the line and could not find it, 
altho the place seemed by the Indian Camp &c. to be the place where the 
old line struck it. 

Monday 30th. this evening went to the top of a mountain, eastward 
to adjust the Quadrant and take the Variation of the needle — it look'd 
likely for rain, and I came back to camp. Rain all night. 

Tuesday 31st. lay still waiting for the Carolina Commissioners. 

Wednesday 1st. Sept. This morning Major Wm. Bailey Smith a 
Commissioner from Carolina came to our Camp, and this evening Col. 
John Williams and Col. Richard Henderson the other Commissioners 
joined. 

Thursday 2d. Sept. Proposed to the Carolina Gent, to go back to 
where we knew the old line was and trace it up. They said they would 
give us an answer next morning. 

Friday 3d. They told us that as to keep in Latitude 36' 30" (sic) 
was the main object, thought it better to go and search for the line, 
there take the Latitude if we found it, if right to run the west line at that 
place, if we could not find it, it would be best to go to some mountain 
proper for Observation and by that run from the place of observation 
North or South till we were right, this was agreed to. 

Saturday 4th. Went to the Top of a Mountain south westerly from 
our camp about 6 miles. 

Sunday 5th. Observed by my instrument the Sun's meridian altitude 
to be 60" 14. after making the proper deduction &c. for refraction, Declina- 
tion &c. the latitude we were in was 36 31' 25". 

Monday 6th. To day the Sun's Meridian altitude was by my Instru- 
ment 59° 52', which made the latitude exactly the same with yesterday 
their Instrument likewise agreed with ours, therefore we were agreed 
we were 1' 25" north of the line which when we reduced into superficial 
measure we made 1 mile 201 poles and an half, we agreed that we were 
here in longitude 81 ° 12' West of London. That Cape Henry was 
75° 27' 20" West of London, that Curratuck Inlet was 75° 30' West of 
London. That in superficial measure we were at steep rock creek 329 
miles west of Curratuck Inlet, we made an abatement for mountainous 
grounds and uneven measure of 12 miles to this place or that we were 
317 miles west of curratuck Inlet, and settled the difference of longitude 
between Curratuck Inlet and this place to be 5° 42' a degree of longitude 
in this Latitude 48.23 Ge : miles or of Statute miles 55 & 1083 Yards. 32 

This evening by a magnetic line 52° 30' E. the above distance of 1 
mile and 201 1-2 poles was measured. 

Tuesday 7th. 14 poles more than the 1 mile & 201 1-2 po. was measured 
on the South line from that place we began the marked line by running 
N 88 E on their Compass to steep rock cr. 2 po. thence from the place 
we first began to measure on their Compass S88W [blank in Ms.] po. 
> to the top of a spur, here Col. Henderson and my Self went to them 
having settled the Bar: at 3 degrees East on my Compass & 2 1-2 on 
theirs, and directed the surveyors to make this allowance. Vid. plat of 
Steep Rock Cr. for the place of Begg. 33 

32. These sentences are substantially repeated in the Virginia Commissioners' 
report. Above, p. 44, note 17. 

33. This may refer to some special plat, but more probably this and a later 
reference to a "plat" are to be considered as referring to t,ie map. 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 51 

Wednesday 8th. The Latitude being settled, and the Surveyors set 
properly to [work] it was thought I might go home for a few days with- 
out Injury to the Service, and I accordingly sat off. Lay this night at 
Mr. Logans — lost my Horse, but got home on Thursday on a Borrowed 
one which I returnd on Saturday. Stay'd at Home till 

Monday 13th. Sat off in the rain, lay at T. Price's. Tuesday 14th. 
North fork H[igh] but got across it and lay at Mr. Finleys, Wednesday 
15th. got to the Surveyors about one o'clock where I was informed the 
Carolina Gentlemen had conceived an Opinion we were too far to the 
south of the true L[at]. Much Cloudy weather this week. After many 
Observations, we concluded we were right, and 1 sat off Wednesday 22d. 
for the Island 3 * where I had reason to believe Dor. Walker was waiting 
with as much impatience with a Party of the Cherokee Indians as I had 
been the last week. Lay at Cornelius Carmacks. Thursday 23d. lay at 
Col. Shelbys who promised to go to the Island with me next day. 24th 
Sept. Friday. Got to the Island. Met with Capt. Masten in my Way 
there at Major Bledsoe's 55 — At the Island Dor. Walker informed me that 
this day he & Major W. Smith had given the Indians the following Talk. 
[Blank page in Ms.] 

Saturday Sept. 25th. The Old Tassell 36 replied as follows : 

Now I am come to the place appointed by my beloved Man to listen 
to the Talks of the beloved Men of Virginia — Here are both the Commiss. 
I speak to (meaning the Commiss. of both States) now we are on the 
beloved seats you shall hear what I have to say. These are the beloved 
seats where we've held the good Talks and saved the lives of so many of 
our people on both sides, tis now three Days (meaning years) since these 
good Talks were first held. When we first came from Chota 37 the way 
was very dark and troublesome but it was lies and bad people that oc- 
casioned it to be so, and caused trouble between us like wading thro' blood 
it was when I open'd the Way, and the Doors of Peace and brightned the 
Chain of friendship between us and our elder brothers. I am the man that 
open'd the Doors of Peace when they were fast shut that caused the light 
to shine from each one to the other, and ours and our elder brothers 
people to remain in peace. I've only been talking of the Peace between 
us and our friend and elder brother that sits here (meaning Col. Shelby) 33 
who was one of the appointed Commissioners at that time, as they both 
must remember well that everything which passed before that being bad 
was thrown away not to be brought into remembrance any more, insomuch 
that where the dead men lay they were buried so deep that large trees 
had grown out of their graves — That the beloved Man of Virginia and 
him of Chota talked together, stretch'd the chain of friendship from 
Virga. to Chota, and appointed Commissioners that if any rust should 
get thereon, they and the beloved men from Chota might brighten it so 
that as their children came to any knowledge of things it might be a guide 

34. The Long Island of Holston, famous as the place for "Peace-talks" with the 
Cherokees. 

35. Anthony Bledsoe, 1733-1788, in 1771-1778 a member of the Virginia As- 
sembly. He settled at Bledsoe's Lick upon the Cumberland in 1784. See below. 

36. The Old Tassel, or Aayetaeh, of Toquoe, was one of the signers, on the 
part of the Overhill Cherokees, of the treaty known as Avery's Treaty, made at 
the Long Island of Holston, July 20, 1777. An account of his speeches during the 
negotiation of that treaty is in Haywood, pp. 505-512. Numerous references to him 
appear in the North Carolina State Records. See Index, Vol. 29, p. 237, s. v. "Old 
Tassel." During the troubles connected with the State of Franklin the Old Tassel 
was killed under circumstances of great cruelty. This was in 1788. 5". R. N. C, 
Vol. 22, pp. 695-696. Haywood, pp. 195-196. 

37. A "city of refuge" of the Cherokees on Tellico River five miles above old 
Fort Loudon, Ramsey, J. G. M., Annals of Tennessee (1853), p. 85. 

38. Evan Shelby, 1750-1826. The reference here and again below is to tha 
Treaty of Holston, in 1776, above, p. s 



52 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

to them and had in remembrance for ages yet to come, and as for my own 
part I will always be assisting in keeping this chain bright. I speak to 
the Commissioners of both States — I often times talk from home that the 
Governor of N. C. may hear me, but I believe what I say never reaches 
his Ears. I as often speak to the Gov. of Virginia who I believe hears, 
and I hope both will hear; what I've now said 

A String to the Com.: of both States. 

You spake to me yesterday concerning the dividing Line between you 
which you left me to consider on till to day. I do not know how far you 
mean to extend it. My hunting grounds and my Lands reaches to Cum- 
berland river — You have your livings at your Doors, tis not the Case with 
me, I am obliged to slave hard and go a great way to get a support for 
myself and children, my hunting grounds extends to the Cumberland 
River, quite to the mouth of it on the south side, which is but a little 
place to support so great a number of people as are in my nation. I men- 
tion my people as I expect some of them are on their way for Cumber- 
land there to make their Hunt, I am uneasy to get home to prevent any 
more from going, for if the line is extended thro' that Country you must 
fall in with some of them — moreover if it should pass thro' there and 
cut off any part of our huntg grounds 'twill make me begin to think of 
what I was told some years ago by the Kings people i. e. if our elder 
brothers here overcome them, they would at last take all our hunting 
grounds and bring us to nothing. But I hope this will not be the case, 
and that our elder brothers will have more compassion for us. Last 
Spring Hanging Man was sent by the great Warrior of Chota and talk'd 
with Col. Shelby and Major Martin concerning goods, which 1 understand 
by what he told me on his return they would use their best endeavours 
to supply us with — now you see the necessity we are in, you see we are^ 
almost naked, and 'tis only by holding our elder brother by the hand. We 
hope you will consider us and try to send us a supply as soon as Possible. 
I speak this to both States. Our concerns with N. C. has always been 
respecting Lands, we have never seen any supplies from them yet, but I 
hope the concerns of Lands will soon be at an end, then we expect they 
will consider us and send us some Cloathing as well as the other States — 
They by their Commissioners, moved the beloved seats from over the 
river to this place, here they kindled the beloved fire, and reserved the 
wood, the grass and the earth of this Island for our purpose, to hold 
good talks upon with our elder brothers, now I hear there is some man 
lays claim to it, altho the beloved men of the two States have reserved it 
for us. I speak to the Com. of both States 'tis 3 days since we held the 
good talks at this Place, and then with the Comm : of N. C. we fixed a 
boundary between us and their people which was to begin on this river 
where the Virga. line did and run thence by the Chimney Top to the 
mouth of Camp Cr. on Nonachucka. Mr. English is settled over that 
line on a good place which we are not much offended at as we believe 
him to be a good man, but a great many others are settled far beyond 
him which must of course know they are over the line. Car : has gained 
a great deal of ground of us for which we have never reed, any satis- 
faction no not even so much as trade. The great men in Car: seem to 
hold everything very fast in their hands, they are always getting what they 
can, and lets nothing go, neither guns goods nor ammunition. 

A String to both Commissioners. 

Sunday 26th. Col. Henderson made a speech which they did not seem 
to like very well. 

Monday 27th. Sept. We Spake to them, as follows : 

Brothers, Chiefs and warriors of the Cherokee nation. 

We are very glad to meet you our brothers and friends at this place 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 53 

■where we before have had so many good talks to smoke the pipe of peace 
together and keep that chain of friendship clear from every speck of rust 
which we ourselves and we hope our children for ages yet to come shall 
feel the good effects of. 

But it gives us some concern to find that our Intention in the running 
the dividing line should be look'd upon by you as a matter that will be 
to your prejudice, as we have no intention of doing any thing with you our 
brothers but what will have a tendency to brighten the great chain of 
friendship which we have fast hold of much less to do any thing which is 
a real injury to you. As we did not conceive that this line would be any- 
wise prejudicial to you so our only reason for acquainting you therewith 
was lest reports by evil minded persons should be carried to you misrepre- 
senting the matter as the best intentions have sometimes been so construed. 
Now brothers we beg of you to listen well to what we are going to say. 
You told us the other day that our living was at our doors, but you had 
far to go and slave hard to support your people, we would recommend 
it to you to live as we do and only hunt) for meat and skins to make yota 
moccasons, raise corn and Cattle horses and hogs and sell them to cloath' 
your wives and Children which you will find much surer and easier thanv 
your present manner of life. 

We are sorry to see and hear your people are so naked, the great men ; 
of Virga. ordered Clothes for you from the Illenois which we expected! 
would soon be here but we are told the people of Chickamogga and 
Chickasaws will not let them come up this river, therefore we shall write 
to the great men by Your Shelby and your brother martin 39 will speak 
to them to send you goods from Virga. we are sorry the goods are not 
here to give you some clothes to return to your towns with but the fault 
is in your enemies therefore hope you will not blame us as we are not 
in fault. 

You told us you hoped Virga. would not take away your Land, we can 
Assure you Virga. will not take any Land that you have a right to. Your 
beloved Island on which we now stand Virga. had secured to you by law 
if it fallen in that State and we make no doubt as it falls into Carolina but 
the great men there will reserve it for you. Hold fast the chain of friend- 
ship with Virga. and the Virginians will never let it slip out of their hands. 
The people over the water we believe will soon make peace with us and 
then we shall be able to give you a plentiful trade. 

As a Token &c. we give you this String of Wampum. 

Tuesday 28th Sept. moved to the Camp at the millstone Quarry about 
200 Yds. in Virg. 

Wednesday 29th. took Latitude we believe the line is about half a mile 
too far North, corroborated by another Observ. 

Thursday 30th. lay still waiting for the Car : 40 who were not ready with 
their Provisions. 

Friday 1st Oct. Rain — but sat off in it to go to the Carolinians, only 
got to the Surveyors Camp on the S. E. side of the north fork of Holston. 

Saturday 2d. Octr. Being conscious from what information we had 
obtained that a Sufficient Guard could not be had on the Virga. Side, for 
the pay allowd by Law, because the Carolinians gave at least seventimes 
as much Pay, and being further informed that if we would make a requisi- 
tion of men from the Caro : Com : they would furnish them, and put them 
under the Virga. Commander only leaving the matter to the two Assemr. 
blies to settle, this day we made the demands of fifty men on the Said 
Terms, moved down Carters Valley 41 and encamp'd about 2 m. east o£ 
a fort. , 

30. Joseph Martin, Indian Agent of Virginia. 

40. Carolinians. 

41. North of the Holston and west of the north fork of that river. 



54 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

Sunday 3d Oct. lay still. Monday 4th. Do. 

By Observations at this Camp made till Sunday 10th. it was made out 
by Mr. Burton and Mr. Guthrie 42 we were 2' 10" too far south, and mon- 
day nth. we began to measure off the distance on a north Course, we 
had also observ'd that the Var: was lessend which possibly might have 
caused the error. Tuesday 12th. Rain — lay all night on a branch of 
Possum Cr. — Wednesday 13th. began to run back the East Course in com- 
pany with Col. Williams while Dor. Walker and Col. Henderson run on 
West. — lay on a spring branch 2 miles & about a Quarter East of the 
termination of the N. line. 

Thursday 14th. got to where the Kentucky Waggon Road 43 cross'd 
the North fork of Holston, did not find the Surveyor to night. 

Friday 15th. Went to the Bilock House — The Surveyor came there 
about i°. Clock, then went to a branch about 1 1-2 miles eastwardly from 
Block House & lay all night. 

Saturday 16th. While the Line kept on took the Latitude on a Knob 
shout 1-4 m. south of the Line. The Double alt. of Sun 89° 0' 30". got 
to Abm. Bledsoes. 44 

Sunday 17th. Observ'd again at Abm. Bledsoes. here we were in 
Lat. 36 31' 40" N. 

Monday 18th. Observed in Robts. mill pond dble. Alt. 87 36'. Major 
Smiths was 87 42'. This Place is 600 or 700 Yds. in Carolina by the 
first line and my observation nearly proved the sd. line right. 

19th. on a knob about 1-4 mile South of the new line observ'd again 
dble Alt. 86° 46'. Major Smith's 87 12'. 

20th. in a Plantation about 1-4 mile North of the line observ'd again 
dble Alt. 86° 3' 30". Major Smiths 86° 14". Went to Major Bledsoe's. 

21st. took the Lat. here Dble alt. 85° 23'. 

22d. Measured the Distance the two lines were apart, it was 838 po. 

23d. Rain all day. lay still. 

24th. took the Lat. again — Dble. Alt. 83 17'. here I was about 1-2 mile 
North of the first Line. All these Observations made out that the new 
line was wrong and that the old one was nearly right. And I came to this 
Conclusion, that either I did not see as others usually do, or that the first 

42. The North Carolina surveyors. Here arose the dispute as to the latitude. 
In their report to the Virginia Assembly, Walker and Smith said: "After running 
the line as far as Carter's Valley 45 miles west of Steep Rock Creek the Carolina 
gentleman conceived the line was farther south than it ought to be, and on trial, it 
was found that the variation of the needle had altered a little, which must have 
happened very lately, and was owing, we believe, to our being just then near some 
iron ore; because on observing the sun's meridian altitude the line was not too far 
south. As the Carolina gentlemen, by their observations, made out other ways, they 
proposed that the surveyors, on each side, should observe and fix the latitude. This 
was agreed to by one of us, influenced by a knowledge of a small change of the 
variation, and was not dissented to by the other, as most of the observations on the 
part of Virginia had been made by him. But quite contrary to our expectations, they 
agreed we were more than two miles too far south of the proper latitude, which dis- 
tance was measured off directly north, and the line ran eastward from that place 
superintended by two of the Carolina gentlemen, and one of us, while from the same 
place it was continued westwardly, superintended by the others for the sake of ex- 
pediting the business. The instruments proper for ascertaining the latitude were 
mostly taken back on the eastern part of the line, in order that those who super- 
intended it, might be farther satisfied; but after going back more than twenty mil^s, 
and observing every day on this line, his judgment was unalterably fixed that this line 
was wrong, although the Carolina gentlemen could not seem to be of this opinion, 
and he returned and overtook his colleague on the western part of the line on Black 
Water Creek or thereabouts, to whom he imparted his sentiments, proposing that he 
also should observe for some days — which he did. The result was that we concluded 
our first line was right, and we brought it up accordingly from Carter's Valley, 
where it had been left, and continued on with it to the westward. 

43. For a careful study of the Kentucky or "Wilderness" Road, the "traces" 
which preceded it, and the topography of this region, see Verhoeff, M., The Kentucky 
Mountains, Vol. 1, chapters 2, 3 (Filson Club Publication, No. 26, 191 1). 

44. Brother of Anthony. 




of the Cumberland \i\ 



stead of the North. 

As 



suggested m Uie introductio 
llu- line from Steep Rock Creek to tin 
"Barrens" westward to the Cumberland 
us emptying into the Cumberland arc mentioned 
"Kentucky Trace". 



Virginia, and with the intention to show the westward 
id the boundary line from the left to the right, Consequently the top points towards the 
ami North Carolina appears above Virginia. 

tins is but a portion of the map to which Smith refers. The first part, showing 

Clinch, is missing, as is also the part which would show the course from the 

id tlie Tennessee. Most of the creek i and brandies laid down on the map 

the text of the Journal. The map also indicates part of the 



of size, from the original, listed as No, 7ZZ61 of the Drapt 



Historical Society of Wisconsin. 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 55 

line was right. I found there was no dependence to be placed in Major 
Smith's Observations, who as will appear above frequently made us from 
4 to 8 or 9 miles off the Line. I resolved therefore to go back to Mr. 
Walker let him take the Lat. If his Observ. made the new line right, I 
would be convinced I did not see like other people. If on the Contrary 
they should agree with mine I would be for correcting the line. Got this 
night to Abm. Bledsoes. 

Mond. 25th. Went by Col. Henderson's Camp in Carters Valley, de- 
livered him his Quadrant which had been entrusted to my Care, and which 
I had forgot to mention, I had discovered at Major Bledsoes to make the 
Sun's Alt. less than ours, told him I could not make an observation to 
prove the last line right, on the Contrary, they always proved the first to 
be so. This he said he was surprised at. Lay at John Loonys. 

Tuesday 26th. Overtook Dor. Walker on the North fork of Clinch, 
told him my Sentiments. 

Wednesday 27th. Dor. Walker took the Lat. we were 50 scants [sec- 
onds?] in Virga. altho' considerably south of the Line, lost Horses, could 
not travel till 

Thursday 28th. got to a Lick on Black Water. 

Friday 29th. Saturday 20th [30th] and Sunday 31st. all these days 
Dor. Walker observd and his observations made us at the least 42 seconds 
in Virga. this was the lowest observ the highest 1' 20" altho near a mile 
south of the line, wrote to Col. Henderson who had not yet joined us 
that we were satisfied the first line was right and that if his observ. had 
been the same with ours to have it brought up. 

Monday 1st Novem. this afternoon Col. Henderson came to us. 

Tuesday 2d. Dor. Walker & Col. Henderson went to the top of the 
Knob — and observed. 

Wednesday 3d Nov. Dor. Walker observed with their Instrument on 
the line which he made 4 miles too far north. 

Thursday 4th. Sent off Mr. Michie to bring up the first line. 

Mr. Burton observed with their Instrument and nearlv agreed with 
Dor. Walker. 

Friday 5th. Mr. Burton & Mr. Guthrie observed as they did in Carters 
Valley, look'd at Mr. Gs Instrument, and found what I suspected that the 
reflection sun was too low. began to measure off the Distance south- 
wardly to keep on the line. 

Saturday 6th. finished measuring the line to the South, and started 
Capt. Burton from the 69 mile tree agreed to meet him near Cum: Gap.* 5 
then cross'd Powells mount 46 went by our Camp and lay at the Car. 

45. Cumberland Gap. 

46. Powell's Mountain and Powell's River, the ridge and the tributary of the 
Clinch just east of Cumberland Mountain. 

It seems proper here to introduce the letter written to Governor Caswell, of 
North Carolina, by Henderson and the other North Carolina Commissioners, to which 
reference was made in the introduction. It will be noted that Henderson states that 
the two Commissions were agreed until they reached Powell's Mountain, sixty-seven 
miles from the beginning, whereas Smith and Walker refer the disagreement to 
Carter's Valley, forty-five miles from the start. The letter is found in the State 
Records of North Carolina, Vol. 14, pp. 353-355, and is as follows: 

Cumberland Gap, 17th November, 1779. 
Sir: 

The great expense of preparations for Extending the boundary line between this 
State and the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the trouble we have been obliged to 
give your Excellency on that occasion, might have induced a reasonable hope that 
the business by this time was nearly compleated. It would afford us great pleasure 
if that was the case. So far has our attempt failed of success that we are doubtful 
very little, if any, benefit will be derived to our State from the attempt of the 
Commissioners to perform the duty enjoined by the General Assembly. We met 
the Gentn. appointed from Virginia and began the extension to the Westward on 
the Seventh of September, and after many inevitable delays for various reasons, we, 
->n the first of November, had carried it on Sixty-seven miles and some Chains, by 



56 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

Sunday 7th. Went back to our Camp on bus. 47 returned & lay on 
Powells River. 

Monday 8th. Col. Henderson proposed sending his Brothers or Capt. 
Hardin Co. we told him any that would do the duty we would be satisfied 
with lay about 3 miles west of Martins. 

Tuesday 9th. Got to a branch about 2 miles E of Cum: Gap. 

Wednesday — Made us a large Sextant to observe with. 

Thursday nth. lay still. Surveyors not come yet. Capt. Hardin's 
Company Joind us. 

Friday 12th. Mr. Michie came to us. Our observ. at this place were 
that we were 2 miles in Virga. Capt. Burton came to us this evening. 

Saturday 13th. Got Mr. Anderson to act as surveyor, moved over Cum. 
mount, lay on flat Cr. 

the unanimous consent of the Commissioners, which brought us to the foot of 
Powell's Mountain, when the gentlemen from Virginia alleged that the line was, 
by their observation, too far North; that the Error was from the beginning, and 
that they would not agree to report it as a boundary. On our part we could not 
agree to an alteration to the South, when by repeated tryal we were fully persuaded 
the line was right, excepting a few seconds to the North. Under these circum- 
stances their proposal of moving two miles and ten seconds to the south was inad- 
missable. 

With this state of the case, Your Excellency would naturally suppose all pro- 
ceedings would stop till the difference in opinion could, by some means, be recon- 
ciled. The Gentlemen on the other side observed a different line of conduct, without 
an offer of that kind. They informed us that they cou'd not agree to report the line 
as it stood, and wou'd make an offset of the distance Mentioned, and Mark a line 
at that distance from the one Extended, as well back as forward, and leave the matter 
to be decided thereafter by artists from both states.' Remonstrances against such a 
proceeding were ineffectual; they immediately proceeded, and went on with their line 
to the East and West at the same time by different Sur-veyors. As the Land Office 
for each State was open as far as Cumberland Mountain, we ventured to extend the 
line due West from the End of that run by unanimous consent to^ this place, as it 
was not far and could be done without much Accumulation of Expence, and not 
without some hope of reconciling the difference of opinion. With respect to an 
accommodation we were greatly deceived; the Commissioners were Resolved to go on 
without regard to our opinion or protest against the measure, and we hope to be 
excused by the General Assembly for continuing the Guard, &c, a few days in extend- 
ing the line to the top of this Mountain, making in the whole a line of One Hundred 
Miles in length, Sixty-seven of which was, as before observed, done by the entire 
consent and approbation of Doctor Thomas Walker and Major Daniel Smith, the 
Virginia Commissioners. 

When all hopes of agreeing as to the true latitude were lost, and the partial 
line run by those Gentlemen carried on, with an express declaration of persisting in 
the measure, we thought ourselves bound to dismiss the Escort, stop our proceeding 
and report the case to the General Assembly. We wish to add, on this subject, that 
we have the utmost confidence that the line run by us is as nearly in the latitude of 
Thirty-six Degrees and Twenty [sic] minutes North as 'tis possible to place it with 
the Instruments in our possession, and that we have procured the best in our power; 
we have also at times had access to the Quadrant made use of by the Virginians, 
by which, as well as ours, we are confirmed in the opinion. The difference of Two 
Minutes and Ten seconds of Latitude in making observations with the same Instru- 
ments cannot be accounted for; but the fact is so, and we have only to lament being 
concerned in this business. We accept this without ... the service _ expected. 
The very great- expence of this effort would have made us yield to anything but a 
surrender of our integrity, to have established a boundary, and of course prevented 
the necessity of sending others to perform what we have failed to do. As we are 
about to separate, perhaps not to meet again till next spring or summer, thought it 
advisable to join in a report to your Excellency of this abortive undertaking. We 
shall, at all times, separated or together, be willing and ready to give any further 
or other information, as to the particulars of our transaction, and furnish a Draught 
of our Line. 

We, Sir, are, with great respect, 

Your Excellency's most Obdt. and very Hbl. Servts, 

Rich'd Henderson, 
John Williams, 
William Bailey Smith. 

His Excellency Richard Caswell, Esqr., &c. 

P. S. Herewith you'll receive sundry Copies of Letters, a letter from the 
Virginia Commissioners, as to their requisition for fifty men, all of which your 
Excellency will please lay before the Gen. Assembly. 

47. Business (?). 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 57 

Sunday 14th. Lay still. Sent Capt. Bledsoe 48 to explore the Country. 

Monday 15th. Lat. 36° 32' 50" N. Capt. Bledsoe return'd. from his 
account concluded it best to go along the Kentucky road, march'd about 
4 miles lay on flat Cr. Capt. Anderson came to us in the night, not 
having met with the Escort sent him in consequence of some Hunters 
having fallen in with and killed some Indians. 

Tuesday 16th. While we were on our march received an extraordinary 
Letter from the N. Carolina Commissioners, withdrawing Capt. Hardin's 
Company from our Service and discharging him — lay in the south edge 
of the bottom just below the ford of the Cumberland. 

Wednesday 17th. Nov. Lay here till after 12. Took Lat. which was 
36 41' 58" — march'd on to a small Cr. about S. W. 

Thursday 18th. March'd about S. W. 7 or 8 miles along a broken 
Valley at the foot of Stone mountn. encamp'd on a Cany Cr. 

Friday 19th. Held on our Course up to the Cr. & out at the head of it, 
fell on two other Branches which we kept up and out at their heads, lay 
on a Cr. that Ran directly into the clear fork about 4 or 5 miles from 
the mouth thereof. 

Saturday 20th. Got to the clear fork 49 and encamp'd on the N. E. bank 
just below the mouth of a small gut, about a mile above the mouth of 
the Cr. we came down. a rocky clift being about 1-4 mile above us (on 
the other side of the river) which faced to the north. 

Sunday 21st. This morning a party of Cherokee Indians and a White 
Man of the name of Springstone came to us, about 1 or 2 oclock Capt. 
Anderson and his party all came safe to us. 

Monday 22d. Novr. Here a very mutinous spirit began to apear among 
the Guard owing to our continuing the line thro' such a mountainous 
desart and we thought it most Prudent to run 1 the line to the Clear Fork, 
then turn to the North into the Kentucky road and down the North side 
of Cumberland to the valuable Country and there proceed on with it". We 
began to pursue this plan the line strikes the clear fork about 1-2 mile 
above the mouth of the little Cr. in a canebrake on a Poplar & 2 Hack- 
berry trees marked with the initial letters of several names measuring 
from Steep Rock Cr. 123 3-4 miles 50 this day after quitting the line went 
by the Indian Camp and got three of them to go along with us, lay on the 
E. side the river 7 or 8 m. Took the Lat. where the line strikes river tis 
36' 30". 

48. Isaac Bledsoe, brother of Anthony and Abram, himself well acquainted with 
western exploration. Haywood, pp. 91 ff. 

49. One of the headwaters of the Cumberland. 

50. The report of Walker and Smith continues: — "It was once after this 
proposed by us, and agreed to by the Carolina Gentlemen, that as we differed so much 
in observation, we would each run his own line, encamp as near together as we 
could anl let future observers, hereafter to be appointed, determine which was right; 
which might be done at a small expense. But this they afterwards declined, altho' 
they carried their line as far as Cumberland Mountains protesting against our line — 
This protest was received in a letter after we had crossed Cumberland Mountain. 
We continued, however, as far as the clear fork, being 12334 miles from Steep 
Rock Creek, marking a poplar and two hackberry trees with initials of our names 
and with November 22nd, 1779, and had serious thoughts of going no further. But 
when we considered that, perhaps, three-fourths of the whole expense was already 
incurred, that a number of people were settling to the westward, who imagined they 
were in North Carolina, while we thought they were on the lands reserved for our 
officers and soldiers; — These, and some more of the like considerations, made us 
think it more condusive to the good of the State in General that we should keep on, 
than that we should return. But as the season was far advanced, and the country 
before us, as far as it was known, was very mountainous and barren, not yielding a 
sufficient quantity of cane for our pack horses, which for some time had been their 
principal support; these, among other reasons, made us judge it best to leave off 
running the line here, and go farther to the westward, into a better country, where 
by reason of many people being about to settle, it might be of importance to run 
tie line speedily." 



58 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

Tuesday 23d. Cross'd the river travelled about 5 or six miles lay on 
W. Side. 

Wednesday 24th. Kept down river cross'd Cum : below the mo : of 
clear fork lay in the bottom on N. side. Cloudy & a little rain 5 or 6 miles. 

Thursday 25th. Cloudy, travelled across from the river to Indian Cr. 
then up, the Cr. N Easterly about 6 or 7 m. Snow to night. 

Friday 26th. lay still, all day took lat tis 36 4/ 16". 

Saturday 27th. Nov. 1779. Removed from Indian Cr. N. Eward 5 or 
6 miles and encamp'd on Lynn Camp Cr. a branch of Laurel River. 51 
Cloudy & like for rain to night. 

Sunday 28th. Misty and some rain with thick Clouds, to day Capt. 
Craig's Company were told that in Consequence of what had been prom- 
ised them heretofore (especially at Clear fork) we now were ready to 
discharge part of them, or all above 15 Which at length they furnish'd 
us. rain to night. 

Monday 29th. Rainy, lay still. Major Bledsoe was settling his Ac- 
counts. 

Tuesday 30th. To day Capt. Craig, and sundry of his men, and also 
the Surgeon left us. — Rainy. 

Wednesday 1st. Deer. Cloudy travelled N. E. about 5 miles encamp'd 
on another branch of Lynn Camp Cr. — 

Thursday 2d Deer. Windy and showers of Snow latter part of the day 
cloudy Billy Camden got lost and lay out all night. 

Friday 3d. While I went up to the Kentucky road looking the lost 
man Mr. Walker took the Lat. of this Camp tis 36 53'. Billy Camden 
came in. We prepared to make an early start tomorrow morning. 

Saturday 4th. Moved into the Kentucky road and along it to Laurel 
River encamp'd about a mile above the road. Snow to night. 

Sunday 5th. Snowing, lay still. Monday 6th. Cloudy, lay Still. 

Tuesday 7th. March'd to the first Creek of Rockcastle. 52 Col. Hender- 
son was encamp'd we were told about a half a mile below us. 

Wednesday 8th. This morning Col. Henderson paid us a visit, moved 
near Rock Castle encampd on a Cr. which we called Bever Cr. 

Thursday 9th. Cross'd Rock Castle & left the Kentucky road, en- 
camp'd on the river about 3-4 mile below where the Kentucky road leaves 
it. a Hard wind to night. 

Friday 10th. lay still, waiting for Major Bledsoe to come up, who 
had been left where we saw Col. Henderson, looking lost Horses, took 
the latitude of this Place 'tis 37° 13' not sure the Inst, right adjusted. 
To night Major Bledsoe came up. 

Saturday nth. Travelled about 8 miles, tho perhaps not more than 
5 on' a right line, our general course about West, lay near the head of 
a branch of Rock Castle at a small Canebreak. Rain to night. 

Sunday 12th. Much rain to day, all day. lay still. 

Monday 13th. Cloudy and some showers of snow. After 12 o'Clock the 
creek not suiting our course from this Camp we travelled along a ridge 
nearly West, till we came to a branch of Buck Cr. 53 which we kept down 
till after it Sunk, this evening we fell on a Trace that we suppose led to 
the french Lick, encamp'd on it. A Cold night, our days march 6 m. 

Tuesday 14th. Deer. A Very cold day, but clear, travelled along the 
Trace N. Westerly about 2 m. to buck Cr. which too high to ford lay at it 
all day. an excessive cold night." 

51. The next tributary of the Cumberland, considerably north of Clear Fork. 

52. A still more northern brinch of Cumberland River. For an explanation of 
the name see Haywood, p. 88. 

53. A stream west of Rock Castle. Smith's route was now turning toward the 
west. 

54. This winter was long remembered for its extreme cold. Haywood, p. 97. 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 59 

Wednesday 15th. Cold and Cloudy. Travelled up Buck Cr. about 1 
mile on the E. side by which we missed two crossings of the cr : then we 
cross'd it and travelled along the Trace a little to the Southward of west, 
cross'd another fork of Buck Cr. at a lick, up a branch and out at the head 
thereof, then down a branch of Pittman's cr. encampd at the first Cane 
thereon. A little snow tonight. 8m. to day. 

Thursday 16th. went down the Cr. by my self about 2 1-2 m. found 
Pittman's and several other families encamp'd there, went back to camp 
lay still all day. 

Friday 17th. Went down Pittman's cr. cross'd it several times, then 
at last left it and travelled across to Fishing cr: which we struck about 
5 m. above the mouth, lay on a small branch at the mouth. Misty all 
day. 12 miles to day. 

Saturday 18th. day still, went down cr. to find the river. 55 I did not 
go far enough, killd a buffaloe & return'd. Mr. Michie took Lat. 'tis 
36° 58'. 

Sunday 19th. march'd down the cr. nearly South about 5m. to the 
river then about W. S. W. 1 m. down the river, and encamp'd. Lat. of 
this place on an accurate obser. 36° 54' 42". Dble. Alt. ver. ob. 59 19'. 

Monday 20th. Major Bledsoe went to look for Trees to build Canoes 
and go down by _ water in pursuance of a resolution which we took at 
Laurel River, having return'd and found them, next day Tuesday 21st. we 
march'd down the river about 5 miles to the Place. 

Wednesday 22d. Set about the Canoes, Mr. Michie took Lat. 'tis 
36° 51' 3i". 

Thursday 23d. I took the Lat. Meridian dble alt. 59 22'. ver. ob : 
Lat. 36° 'S3' 3i". 

Friday 24th. Do. Do. — 59 25' rather cloudy 36 53' 16". 

Saturday 2*5th. Christmas Day. Do. Do. 59 27'. ver. ob. 36° 53' 16". 

Sunday 26th. No work on canoes these days. 

Monday 27th. Working on Canoes. Cloudy & misty or little rain. 

Tuesday 28th. Do. Do. 

Wednesday 29th. Saw the Sun a little tho not enough to take a good 
observation. 

Thursday 30th. Cloudy & a little Snow. 

Friday 31st. Clear & cool. Mr. Walker took Lat. ver: ob. dble alt. 
6o°3. Lat. 36.53-58 discoursed a little with Wm. Young who just came 
from Ky. 

Saturday Jany. 1st. 1780. Launched one of the Canoes. Jerry Pearce 
came over from Prices & lay with us to night. Snow to night. 

Sunday 2d. Thro scarcity of meat went down by water a hunting with 
2 others. Cloudy & some snow. Killed Turkies at night to live on. lay 
4 m. below Station Camp. f6 

Monday 3d. went about 3 miles lower & killed 6 Buffaloes, late be- 
fore we got them butcher'd,, clear & very cold night. 

Tuesday 4th._ moved up the river with two of our Buffaloes. The ice 
was so bad coming down the river we could only reach our Sunday nights 
camp where we lay with Oba. Terrel. 

Wednesday 5th. got back to Station Camp, but some how by accident 
got the britch of my gun broke off. 

Thursday 6th. cold to such a degree the river froze over, and con- 
tinued froze over till Sunday 9th. Jany. 1780 when Major Bledsoe crossed 
over on it to go to prices. In this Time I fixed up my gun Barr in another 
Stock & lock. 

Thursday 13th. Went down the river a hunting in order that less 

55. The Cumberland. 

56. For the name see Haywood, p. 92. 



60 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

provision might serve at our Station Camp as there was no appearance 
of a thaw. J. M. & F. W. went with me. lay at Oba's camp. 

Friday 14th. lay on the Riv. 9 m. below Station camp to go to the 
nearest way killed two buffaloes. 

Saturday 15th. killed another buffaloe. Monday 17th. went alone 
back to Station Camp. Thursday 20th. returned to J. M. & F. W. 

Friday 21st. moved down the river 6 m. lower killed 5 buffaloes. 

Thursday 27th. went back to Station Camp, no appearance of a thaw 
yet. Stay'd here till 

Monday 31st. Mr. Sharp went back down the riv. with me. 

Monday 7th. Feby. Snow a little last night & to day. 

Wednesday the weather had moderated a little. 

Thursday 10th Feby. An appearance of a thaw coming on. We went 
to Station camp. Rain to night a litle. 

Saturday 12th. Riv. rose much. Sunday 13th. This morning the Ice 
broke and we launch'd our Canoe. 

Monday 14th. launched another Canoe. 

Tuesday 15th. launchd the other and sat off down the river lay about 
1 m. above our first encampment, vid. plat of riv. 

Wednesday 16th. at 39 m. dist. by water from Canoe Camp passed 
by the mouth of a large Cr. on the S. Side at 57 m. encamp'd at the foot 
of a large bottom on N. Side where the riv. runs E. just above the mouth 
of a small cr, where there was cattle left & Mr. Sharp lay from us. 

Thursday 17th. at 72 m. passed by a curious nat. bridge on N. Side, 
at 76 m. encamp'd on N. Side in a large bottom. 

Friday 18th. at the mouth of Brushy Cr. found a note of Capt. Bled- 
oe's, who had gone along with the horses, the Lat. of this place 36 
42' 46" and 91 m. distant at 106 m. pass'd by the mouth of a cr. on N. 
Side, another note from I. B. 5T at 117 m. another cr: on N. Side with 
fresh Blazes where we encamp'd. 

Saturday 19th. at 132 m. Stopp'd on S. Side and took Lat. which was 
36 34' 51". at 147 m. a cr: on N. Side at 149 m. encamped on N. Side. 

Sunday 20th. went up the bottom, supposing we were in Carolina, to 
the mo. of the last cr. and took Lat. it was 36 30' 49". Dble. alt. 85 12'. 
measured some [down?] 298 po. to the supposed Line To day Major Bled- 
soe went in search of his brother. 

Monday 21st. Major Bledsoe returnd with his brother. Rain. 

Tuesday 22d. A Wet kind of Snow, all day. Wednesday 23d. Some 
Snow, hunted this afternoon for Turkies. 

Thursday 24th. Clear & Cold, went to, the place of Observation Dble. 
alt. 88° 9'. 

Friday 25th. Went again to the place of observation, and as our ob- 
servations had never varied more than 19 seconds fix'd the line. — to begin 
at a Beech on the top of the bank. The line crosses the river nearly at 
right angles (55 S W S. W) bottom on both sides the river, mark'd 
our name and the date on the two Beeches, and also marked on the East- 
ern bank an east course from the Beech. Our names on two Maple-like 
trees and their Initials on a box elder, having done this the Surveyor ran 
the line West to the top of the first hill. & A creek comes in on the 
N. W. side about a mile above the line and a smaller one on S E side 
about 1-2 mile in Carolina. 58 

57. Isaac Bledsoe. 

58. The party, after their swing into Kentucky by the Kentucky Road and out 
by the Cumberland, were now where the Cumberland was cut by the supposed 
parallel of 36 degrees. 30 minutes. In their report to the Virginia Assembly, Walker 
and Smith continue: — "The map will show our route to a place on Cumberland 
River, where we built canoes to carry our luggage and rest the pack horses, which 
were too much reduced to do service that way. And here, to add to the number 
of our difficulties and misfortunes, we were froze up more than forty days in a river 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 61 

Saturday 26th Feby. To day Mr. Walker sat off with his Party and 
Canoes to secure provisions &c. while I went with Mr. Michie On the 
line. We were to meet at the French Lick or in its neighborhood, at 
least I was to do so with the Quadrant, and Mr. Michie is to run from 
where I shall leave him to where the line crosses Cumberland again. Run 
2 m & 240 po. to a cr : running northeasterly, being the cr. at the mouth 
of which we had taken the Lat : the line keeps near by us the cr. crossing 
it [blank in Mss.] times at 5 m. 1-4 encamp'd in cr : bottom, about 3-4 
m. above a north fork of it. 

Sunday 27th. at mid-day to day took Lat. line right, at about 7 1-2 m. 
the top of the dividing of the waters between Cumberland & Green River. 
Vid. map. line — at 14 3-4 m. encamp'd on a small br. running S. into a Cr. 
of Green R. 59 

Monday 28th. at 16 m. — 6 po. Came to the cr. again, and being en- 
tirely without meat and having fasted some time went a hunting — killed 
two large Bull Buffaloes. 

Tuesday 29th. Ran about 6 m. to day. Rain in the Afternoon. Quit 
the line at 22 m. — a few ch. and went down a branch that ran about N70W. 
encamped on a cr : at the mo. of sd. branch, rain. 

Wednesday 1st march. It did not clear up till near ten o'Clock, — then 
fair, took Lat. found the line very right. Dble. Alt. 92 40 at 23 m. 60 po. 
cross'd cr: we camp'd on, cross'd a steep hill, at 23 m. 104 po. another cr: 
running near north — cross'd another hill, at 24 m. 34 po. another cr : these 
creeks we suppose come together and run into the one we came down 
first, at 27 m. 152 po. left line and went to the north about 1-2 m : and 
camp'd on a br. 

Thursday 2d. March, at 28 m. 60 po. cross'd another cr: running N 
then across some very briery ridges at 34 m. 40 po. another cr. running 
to the N. on which we encamp'd. 

Friday 3d. at 38 m. 240 po. a cr : on which we encamp'd — Newton's 
cr: Hunted today but could kill nothing. 

Saturday 4th. at 46 m. 212 came to a cr. on which we encamp'd 
2 Buffaloes kill'd to day poor. 

Sunday 5th. Rain this morning a little, in the afternoon a good deal, 
lay still. 

Monday 6th. Our meat being very lean & it being an unlikely day, 
Capt. Bledsoe hunted — I staid at Camp in order if fair to take an Observa- 
tion, which I did tis 36 30' 15". Dble alt. 96 30'. As this observ. was 
good I depend much on it. I discovered also as I thought that too little 
variation was allowed. Mem : observe to night — 'Twas cloudy about 9 
o'Clock, and hard rain afterwards till near day but when the Pole Star 
was in the most western part of his orbit it appeared there was, by taking 
his bearing, to be full six degrees var. 

Tuesday 7th. Run to day magnetically S 84 W. at 50 m. 178 p. crossed 
a creek running N. W. on which we killd a Buff, at 51 3-4 m. got into the 
edge of the Barrens, at 55 m. 242 po. a large cr. running near N about 
10 W. on which we encamp'd Took the Variation to night at Sunset by 
her amplitude and also by the pole Star when on the meridian. I find 
it 7° Degrees E. 

Wednesday March 8th. at 64 m. 294 po. a Cr. whose gen : course seems 

never known to be froze before. We went by water from this place until we got into 
the proper latitude (as we judge one hundred and nine miles west of the Clear 
Fork) and began the line on two Beech trees marked with our names and Feby. 25, 
1780, on the West Bank of Cumberland River, a creek coming in about a mile 
above us on the west side, and another one somewhat smaller about a mile below 
us on the East side" Unfortunately, this portion of the map is not included in 
the copy in the Draper Mss. 

59. Probably a branch of Barren River, which runs into Green River. The 
latter flows through Kentucky, emptying into the Ohio almost opposite Evansville, 
Indiana. 



62 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

N. W. tho' just where we cfoss'd it N. E. on the W. Side of which we 
encampd — Went hunting found the Cumberland Road 60 about 1-2 mile to 
the West. 

Thursday 9th. at 66 m. 14 po. cross'd the Cumberland road running W 
S W. at 73 m. 231 po. a cr. on which we encamp'd. Took Lat. today. 
36 29' 52". Dble. alt. 98.51. 

March 10th. Obliged to stop to hunt. Capt. Bledsoe killed nothing 
but 2 Deer, took Lat. line very right Dble. Alt. 99 39' 30". 

Saturday nth. To day I sat off to the French Lick to meet Mr. 
Walker. Got into the Cumberland road and lay thereon on a small br: 
of Red River. 61 25 miles to day. 

Sunday 12th. Got to Gaspar's Lick. 62 Snow. Monday 13th. lay still. 

Tuesday 14th. Got to the French Lick. 63 

Wednesday 1.5th. Sat off to meet Mr. Michie. Lat. at Eatons 36 7". 64 
at 30 m. lay on N. side on a high Point — Lost Tomhawk. 

Thursday 16th. at 20 1-2 m. pass'd by the mouth of Harpers 65 River 
in all 32 1-4 m. Ind. town. 

Friday 17th. only n 3-4 m to day. Ind. town. 

Saturday 18th. at n 3-4 touk Lat. 36 21' 22" at 12 3-4 ms. of red 
river in all 36 m. lay on high bottom just below where [our dog wounded 
(stricken out in Ms.)] met Shaw to day. 

Sunday 19th. at 17 1-2 m. took Lat. 36 19' 25" at a pond 1 m. above 
Sharp's cr. at 23 1-4 Island, at 31 m. lay in rich bottom N. side. 

Monday 20th. at 9 1-2 met with the Surveyor. 66 line too far South 
owing to a change of the Variation, met Carvin to day. 

Tuesday 21st. Observed again found as yesterday run the off set. 

Wednesday 22d. After observing again to day, and finding the line 
right Sat off for the Tenasa. 67 

Thursday 23d. at about 10 O'Clock joyfully surprized with the sight 
of the Tenasa 140 m. 1-4 from the Cumberland at our crossing it in Feby. 
Turnd back and got to the Cumberland that night. These River are but 
9 1-4 miles apart, tho so far from their mouths. 68 

Friday 24th. got 5 or 6 m. up the river. Dan. Frazier & Jerry Sears 
went up by land with the Horses. 

Saturday 25th. got to the mouth of Sharpes Cr. Set a Sail today 
little wind. 

60. The road to the French Lick on the Cumberland River. 

61. Sulphur Fork, a branch of Red River, takes its rise east of the old Kentucky 
Road. The Red River empties into the Cumberland much lower down near Clarkes- 
ville. 

62. For Caspar or Caspar Mansco, and his explorations, see the extensive ac- 
count! in Haywood, pp. 88 ff. 

63. The site of Nashville. It is curious that Smith makes no mention of 
James Robertson and the settlers who accompanied him, some of whom were cer- 
tainly now at French Lick. For the route taken by the earlier settlers in the Cum- 
berland region see the account in Haywood, pp. 96-97. It is interesting^ to compare 
this route and that taken by the company under Donelson with that which was fol- 
lowed by Daniel Smith. Haywood, after telling of the arrival of Donelson's party 
at French Lick, says, "About this time Dr. Walker, _ one of the Virginia Commis- 
sioners for running the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina, arrived 
at the bluff. Henderson soon after erected a station on Stone's River, at the place 
called Old Fields, now Clover Bottom, and he remained there a considerable time." 
Henderson, continues Haywood (pp. 107-108), sold land to various persons under 
the deed made in 1775 to his company by the Indians. He was at this time accom- 
panied by his two brothers, Nathaniel and Pleasant. 

64. Eaton's Station, on the other side of the Cumberland. 

65. Harpeth River. Haywood also spells the name Harper's. 

66. Who had been carrying the line across country while Smith visited the 
French Lick. 

67. Smith, of course, had crossed the Cumberland. 

68. In their report Walker and Smith say: — "From this place we extended the 
line across the heads of Green River and Red River, through a country called 
the Barrens from there being little or no timbers in it, in many places; crossed the 
Cumberland again at 131 miles, where there is a clift on the Northeast side, and a 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 63 

Sunday 26th. Easter Sunday, wind agt. us. 27th. Monday, fair wind 
part of the day, flawy. 28th. Tuesday, wind agt. us. pass'd the mouth of 
Red River. 29th. Wednesday wind agt. us. 30th. Thursday no wind. 
31st. Friday got to Harpers Riv.™ Apl. 1st. Saturday got to Tomhawk 
Cam [p] Apl 2d Sunday got to Amos Eaton's. Apl. 3d. Monday Rain. 
Tuesday 4th. Rain. Wednesday 5th. sold four Horses 3 Kettles some Tents 
&c. Settled some accts. 6th. Thursday hunted horses. 7th. Friday Horses 
not all found— Received a letter from the governor to go to the Falls of 
Ohio on particular business. Col. Henderson brought this letter. 70 8th. 
Saturday. This morning began to recruit a guard to go to the falls. Sun- 
day 9th. 10th. Monday Col. Henderson informed 'twas his opinion Caro- 
lina would establish the line we had run. nth. Tuesday little success in 
the recruiting way. 71 Wednesday 12th. moved to Caspar Mancoes lick. 
Thursday 13th. two horses lost, hunted for them all day in rain. Just 
before we left Eatons we reed, of Major Bledsoe £454- 7- but on counting 
it again at a leisure hour found we had made an error that in counting one 
of the parcels we had counted a 35 for a fifty five dollar bill — and 
that the other parcel was £2, 16s. more than the 20o£ which it had been 
counted for. so that we had reed, no more than 4$i£ 3 of which I used n 
Dollars to pay for the making a hunting Shirt and also pd. Gaspar Manscoe 
his charge of 30 Dollars for Diet at his house while the Horses were 
hunting. At Gaspars reed, also £45 of Major Bledsoes for other Articles 
he had sold, recollected afterwards that the £2.16 was [paid] me by 
Major Bledsoe for expence which I had paid on the Back Line. 

Saturday 15th. Apl. Crossed the line lay on the N. fork of _ the Red Riv. 

Sunday 16th. at 12 m. came to Skeggs Cr. kept down it crossing it 
sev. times, encamped near the mouth course N 30 E. abt. 27 or 28 m. 
in the whole. 

Monday 17th. cross'd Skegg's cr. and big barren Riv. this morning 
then to rocky Spring course N E. Abt. 13 or 14 m. then N 10 E. (left 
Trace) 4 m. and encamp'd on N. Side Green Riv. 72 

bottom about three quarters of a mile broad on the other side, and at the end of 
one hundred and forty miles, one quarter and eight poles from the two Beech trees 
on the twenty-third day of March found ourselves on the bank of the Tennessee 
River, and, of course, had run the line as far Westward as we were authorized to 
do, notwithstanding the hardships and difficulties we had to contend with. One of 
us kept through the woods with the Surveyor, while the other went down by water, 
by which means a tolerable map of the Cumberland River is taken; a fine river, 
being navigable at least 700 miles from the mouth upwards." This part of the map, 
tco, is unfortunately not included in our map from the Draper Mss. 

69. In Colonel John Donelson's Diary, containing the account of the voyage of 
the party under his command, the following entry bears date March 31st: — "Set 
out this day, and after running some distance, met with Col. Richard Henderson, who 
was running the line between Virginia and North-Carolina. At this meeting we 
were much rejoiced. He gave us everv information we wished, and further informed 
us that he, had purchased a quantity of corn in Kentucky, to be shipped at the Falls 
of Ohio for the use of the Cumberland settlement." Ramsey: The Annals of Ten- 
nessee, p. 202. Thus this party was within a few miles of Daniel Smith. 

70. In their report Walker and Smith say: — "When we had returned home- 
wards about 160 miles we met with orders from his Excellencv, the Governor, to 
do another piece of service, which we suppose he has made you acquainted with. 
The nature of this service has been explained in part in the introduction, p. 41. 
For the letter see Clark Papers, pp. 392-393- Jefferson to Thomas Walker and 
Daniel Smith, dated Williamsburg, January 29. To this letter Jefferson refers in his 
Instructions to Clark, Ibid., p. 386. Walker and Smith were to ascertain and mark 
the point where the boundary of Virginia struck the Mississippi "or Ohio." 

71. Walker and Smith conclude their report to the Virginia Assembly with the 
following words: "We have also since seen Col. Henderson, one of the North Car- 
olina Commissioners, who with another of his Colleagues has been examining our 
line, and he has repeatedly given us much reason to believe their State will establish 
the line as we ran it." ,-,:■, j .. t- ,1 

72 Smith was now on his way northward through Kentucky towards the halls 
of the Ohio, the future Louisville. One marks the total absence of any established 
road beyond this point. Smith's route across the upper waters of Green and Salt 
Rivers seems to lie to the east of the roads to Louisville shown on the old maps. 



64 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

Tuesday 18th. Moved about 10 m. on a course about N 10 E. encamp'd 
on a cr. we called Raccoon cr. 

Wednesday 19th. down Raccon Cr. 2 1-2 m. across a hill 1 m. to a large 
Cr. supposed to be the rolling fork of Salt River held on our course and 
in about 4 m. more came to the sd. cr. again it ran so crooked encamp'd 
on the E. Side. Course about N 30 E. 7 1-2 m. to day in the whole. 

Thursday 20th. to day cross'd riv. up a cr. N 20 E 1 m. to fork up W 
fork W N W. 1 m. North 1 m. along a valley N 10 E. 3 m. to riv. W. 1 
m. N 20 W 2 m — reduced to a straight N 10 W. 6 1-2 m. lay on W. Side. 

Friday 21st. cross'd cr. twice to day at 5 m. it seem'd to bear so much 
to E. we expect not to cross it again, in all reduced to straight N 8 E. 
11 1-2 m. lay at a pond, barrens all day. continued to where I cut my foot. 

Saturday 22d. N 5 E. 10 m. (at 7 m. a small cr. running to N. W. at 
8 m. a dry one with a Spring N. W.) to a Buffaloe road, along the Buf- 
faloe road N 55 E. 3 m. lay on a cr. along this Buffaloe road we saw 
Horse tracks which is the first marks we had seen of any human being 
having been in these desarts from the day we left rocky Spring. 

Sunday 23d. Apl. Cut my foot accidentally this morning, travelled 
N 18 E. 12 m. N 80 E. 1-2 N 1 m. to a Lick. N to E. 1 1-2 m. thro 
some knobs to Salt Riv. on which we encamp'd after beginning a raft. 
It forks about 1-2 m. Above us. — Back Water from the Ohio seems to 
come here. 

Monday 24th. Rafted across the River, then N 70 E. 1 1-2 into a 
Buffaloe road at foot of the hill which bore to left, we kept it about N. E. 
5 1-2 m. to Bullets Lick, then North 3-4 m. encamp'd on a br: 

Tuesday 25th. N. E. abt. 7 m. into the Trace leading to the Falls along 
it about North 12 m. to the Falls, where we were told Col. Clark had left 
that place 14th Inst, to go to the Iron Banks. 73 One Capt. Killer of his 
corps offer'd to carry us down to him as he was just going there and 
with him we agreed to go. Rain Thunder & lightning this afternoon — we 
got very wet. found Smith Hansborough here. 

Wednesday 26th. Settled with Mr. Sharpe who fell in our debt £9 16s. 
which he paid — he had a bag afterwards. Pd. Edwin Garnet his acct. £75 
4s. Also Jeremiah Sears the Same. Also Wm. West, the Same also Lewis 
Riland the same. Also let Jno. Jenkins have 35 Dollars and Hugh Hays 
60 Dollars, pd. for my own use 10 Dollars to Mr. Sharpe for a Knife 
and 142 Dollars to Smith Hansborough in exchange of Guns, then em- 
barked. Cloudy & misty. If Paper was plenty I would attempt a descrip- 
tion of our uncomfortable situation — with a Xantippe of a Landlady, some- 
thing like a petruchio of Shakespear or Nabal for a Landlord their Dirty 
children leaky boat Drunkenness &c. but I am by no means equal to the 
task. 74 

Thursday 27th. at day I suppose we were about 15 m. below the mouth 
of Salt River. To day I recollected that the excess of the 20o£ parcel was 
owing to Major Bledsoe's having paid me 9 Dollars for expence I had 
paid on the back line, drifted all night, we thought we discover'd an 
Indian fire on their Shore to night. 

Thursday 27th. Nothing remarkable, drifted chiefly or rowed but little 
saw several fires on shore to night which we suppose must be caused 
either by the woods being on fire or by the Indians drifted all night. 
Friday 28th. rowed & drifted nothing remarkable but scarcity of provision, 
foot painful. 

Saturday 29th. this afternoon passed the mouth of Green River wrote 
a note to Col. Henderson. Sunday 30th. Strong wind agt. us till after- 

73. An abandoned French fort on the Mississippi River five miles below the 
mouth of the Ohio. 

74. For Clark's activities and the general conditions of the region see James's 
Introduction to the Clark Papers, pp. cxix-cxxxvii. 



THE JOURNAL OF DANIEL SMITH 65 

noon lay still till wind abated, then started, we lay at Yellow Banks 
last night. 

Monday ist. May wind agt. us — hunting parties detained us on an 
Island opposite to the mouth of Wabash Riv. till near sun down, then 
Started down & row'd all night. 

Tuesday 2d. May. Very sick, came by the mouth of Cum : abt. 8 
o'clock this evening. 

Wednesday 3d. This morning at break of day opposite to the old fort 
Massac 75 this afternoon at 5 o'clock got to the mouth of the Ohio, then 
down the Mississippi about 5 m. to Col. Clarkes encampment, who we saw 
this evening and had some conversation with respecting our business. 

Thursday 4th & Friday 5th. Staid at the Intended Town. 76 

Saturday 6th. Went down to the Iron Bank, encamp'd on the Spanish 
Shore a little below — rather hazy. 

Sunday 7th. Cloudy, rain last night. Monday 8th. clear in morning 
but cloudy at noon, run some lines to enable us to know the width of riv. 

Tuesday 9th. May. cloudy, but being convinced we were north of the 
line moved to the S. end of the Island — abt. 5 m. 

Wednesday 10th. observed. Thursday nth. agreed with Yesterdays 
observ. we were 3' 19" in Virginia — from this point of the Island we ran 
east to the main land where I marked a buck eye elm & Sugar tree then 
South 3 m. 265 po. thence West. 106 po. to riv. 96 po. of which we mark'd. 
new land is forming here, nothing to mark but cotton trees. — moved up the 
riv. till abt. 1 m. below Wt. Gift. — a cr: abt. 1-4 m. above wt. clift. — lay 
in the wet without fire. 

Friday 12th. got up to Col. Clarke. 

Saturday 13th. embark'd again for Kaskaskios. 77 

Thursday 18th. arrived at Kaskaskios. and remained there (which 
place we made Lat. 37°. 39'. N) till 

Monday 5th. June not well the night of 5th June, left this place to 
go homewards, arrived at Camp Jefferson 

Wednesday 7th. June a few minutes after the Indians had murdered 
3 men near the town. 2 others were missing supposed to be made prison- 
ers and it appeared that had killed another last monday from his bloody 
clothes being found in the Indians Canoes, people much distressed for 
want of provisions and in confusion. 

Saturdav 10th. June. Col Clark with 2 men sat off to go by land to 
the falls of Ohio. 

Wednesday 14th. June, embarked to go to the falls of Ohio with no 
more provision than one quart of unsound corn per day for ten days. 
Tuesday 4th. July arrived at the falls. 

Thursday 6th. Sent for our horses and went as far as Col. Floyds, who 
lent us 195 £. 15 of which Jenkins used in Swap of guns and is to be 
charged with. — Monday Toth. July got to Harrodsburgh, 78 continued on by 
that place to Willson's Station. 

Tuesday nth. July — got up to Logan's — overtook Col. Henderson on 
the road. 12th. Staid all Day at Logan's. 

Thursday 13th. July, left Logans and got 2 m. S. E. of Chas. English's. 

75. On the Ohio, below the mouth of the Tennessee. 

76. Fort Jefferson. The building of a fort at this point had been advocated by 
Patrick Henry in 1777. for the purpose of facilitating intercourse with the Spaniards 
at New Orleans. Clark and John Todd had agreed on the advisability of such an 
occupation. Clark began the establishment of the post in April, 1780. June 8, 1781, 
the post was evacuated for lack of supplies. See note 74. 

77. Kaskaskia, the French settlement in the Illinois country where Clark, over- 
coming a British post under Rochestlave, in July, 1778, began his conquest of the 
northwest for Virginia. 

78. The final course of the journey was across Kentucky by a much more 
traveled road. 



66 TENNESSEE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE 

Friday night 14th. July lay on the most easterly waters of Skegg's cr: 
before we came to rock Castle. 

Saturday night 15th. July, lay on Laurel Riv. Waters. 
v Sunday night 16th. July, lay on Rich land cr. 

Monday night 17th. July lay cross'd Cumberland lay on Clear Cr. 

Tuesday 18th. July cross'd Cum : mountains & lay abt. 2 m. east of the 
Gap. — to night the Indians stole 7 of our horses. 

Wednesday 19th. July followed after our horses and retook them. 

Thursday 20th. July, got to Trading Cr. 

Friday 21st to Crismans Spring— Settled and pd. Hugh Hays 830 & 
270 Dollars. 

Saturday 22d. July— parted with Mr. Walker.— lay between the Stock 
Cr. & the Rye Cove. 78 

Sunday 23d. lay at David Guess old place. 

Monday 24th. lay at Chas. Hays's. . - 

Tuesday 25th. got home. 7th Augt. Monday in the morning early 

[Here the Journal breaks off.] 

79. On the Clinch River, near Smith's home. 



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